I happened to see an excerpt from Capt. K.A.’s oval office address which bothered me a great deal…for a whole host of reasons. It is only 6 sentences long…but that was enough for me…. Here is the excerpt:
“{1} Instead, what has defined us as a nation since our founding is our capacity to shape our destiny – our determination to fight for the America we want for our children. {2} Even if we’re unsure exactly what that looks like. {3} Even if we don’t yet know precisely how to get there. {4} We know we’ll get there.
{5} It is a faith in the future that sustains us as a people. {6} It is that same faith that sustains our neighbors in the Gulf right now.”
- First sentence, no problemo. I believe that there are a few other major factors that define us as a nation (like democracy and capitalism)…but at face value there is nothing terribly offensive here.
- Second and third sentences…uhhh…you are starting to lose me Cpt. KA. I am rather certain that the Founders knew EXACTLY what “our destiny” looked like. They may have disagreed on some of the smaller details and how to get there…but the big picture was pretty damned clear…and they articulated it pretty damn clearly in the founding documents. Take for example the first sentence of the Constitution:
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Sounds like a pretty clear vision…and oh by the way…Mr. Constitutional Scholar…they proceed to define in specifics HOW to do this in the 7 articles that followed this sentence! So does his verbiage in sentence 2 imply: 1.) that “HE doesn’t currently have a vision of the future” or 2.) that “America doesn’t understand HIS vision”? You be the judge.
- Fourth sentence…very re-assuring stuff…”We know we’ll get there”. Hope springs eternal from this font! FYI - I always start every road trip this way: “I’m not sure exactly where we are going kids…not sure exactly how to get there…but I know we’ll get there”. I wonder if even a child would say…”uhh…but where is there dad?”. I am pretty sure that the Mrs. wouldn’t let this one slide…but hey…he is THE ONE after all…
- Ok, the fifth sentence is where I start to get pretty agitated. HIS assertion is that what sustains us as a people is our “faith in the future”. Hmmm…does that resonate with you? This is a very telling passage. If someone were to ask ME “what sustains me”…I might be more inclined to say something like…oh…let me think…maybe “my Faith in GOD”…or my faith in “Good will triumph over Evil”…or my faith in “Truth always prevails”??? I find it really ironic that Capt. KickAss believes in our “faith in the future”…this from the same man who is putting up regulations left and right to protect us from “the greedy oil/banks/corporations”…so which is it…are we by nature good or by nature evil?
- Last sentence…”that same faith (the faith in the future) that sustains” people affected by the oil spill. I will let you be the judge of where this one lies on the Stupid scale. Maybe you can ask some of the folks in the LA tourism industry or in the (non BP) oil drilling business what their future looks like….
I know what everyone will say: Why bother deconstructing these things…he is just pontificating…trying to make a broader point….give “the small people” some HOPE…
Yes – I agree…we reap that which we sow…
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